Signal.



A. J. HORTON.

SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED FEBJ, 1909. I I 1,020,555. Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

'ALBERT J. HORTON, 01 WHITE PLAINS,

HAMMER MFG.'CO., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIILA: CORPORATION OF-WIBQONSIN.

SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

Application filed @ebruary 1, 1909. Serial No. 475,387.

, which the following is a full, clear, concise,

and exact description, reference being had.

to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to electric signals, and it is my object to provide a device adapted to bringa reserve signal into operation should the main signal fail to operate.

I shall now describe the operation of my device, using lamps as signal devices, though it will be understood that I may use any other form of signal device to equal advantage.

For the purpose of illustration I have described my device as being used in connection with an electric railway to give a signal when a car is in a block. This is for the purpose of notifying the car following of the proximity of a car in front. In the ordlnary block systems it is customary to have a signal given, as a lamp, butif such lamps should become burned out, no signal would be given and serious accidents would be liable to occur before such conditions were noticed.

In the drawing I have shown schematically the general arrangement of the various parts of my device.

I have shown the parts of my device as being operated by current derived from a main trolley circuit A. The main lamp 3 is connected by the conductor 2 to the trolley circuit A and to theground so that when a car passes in a block and closes a suitable switch t the lamp circuit will be completed and the lamp lighted, I employ a reserve lamp 5, which is connected to the conductor 2 and to the ground, but its circuit is nor'- mally open at the contacts 6 and 7. These contacts 6 and 7 are adapted to be bridged under centain conditions, as hereinafter described, by the contact 8 carried by the core of a relay 9. Said relay is also connected to the conductor 2 and to the ground. A resistance R is preferably utilized in the circuit of the relay and it is so proportioned as to prevent the relay from operating as long as the parallel circuit through the lamp 3 is completed. It is necessary to use lamps which operate on a lesser voltage than the l ne potential, and I therefore em lo a res1stance R in the conductor 2, w ic is'so proportioned that when a lamp and the relay are in circuit the voltage impressed thereon will be the normal voltage of the lamp. Should the circuit of the lamp 3 be interrupted, as by said lamp burning out, the current will have only one path, and that through the relay. In sucha case'the voltage impressed'upon the relay will be much higher than when the lamp 3 was in operation, and said relay will be sufficiently energized to raise its core and bridge the contacts 6 and 7, thus completing the circuit of lamp 5 and bringing the same into operation. The voltage impressed upon the relay will, of course, be'immediately reduced to that impressed thereon while lamp 3 was in operation, but such a voltage, while insuflicient to operate the relay, is sufficient to maintain NEW YORK, assreiwon To run cum said core inits raised position. It will be seen by such aconstruction that a proper signal will be given at all times, even should one lamp become inoperative.

It will, of course, be understood that I may utilize my device with any kind of signal, or that the same may be used to operate one kind of device and may be used to 've a signal should the device with which it is associated become inoperative.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is V 1. The combination with a supply circuit,

of an electroresponsive device connected across said supply circuit, a normally deenergized electroresponsive device, and means for energizing said last mentioned device upon failure of said'first mentioned device to respond. 2. The combination with a supply circuit, of an electroresponsive device connected across said circuit, a normally deenergized electroresponsive device, and electroresponsive means for energizing said second mentioned-device upon failure of said first mentioned device to respond.

.3. The combination with a supply circuit, of an electroresponsive device connected across said circuit, a normally deenergized electroresponsive device, an electroresponsive relay switch for connecting said second mentioned device in circuit and means rendering the response of said switch dependent upon thefailure of said first mentioned device to respond.

4.- The combination with a supply circuit of an electroresponsive device connected across said circuit, a second electroresponsive device adapted to be connected across said circuit, an electroresponsive switch adapted upon responding to connect said second device in circuit, and means necessitating deenergization of said first mentioned device prior to response of said switch.

5. The combination with a supply circuit, of an electroresponsive device connected across said supply circuit, an electroresponsive switch having its operating winding connected in parallel with said device, a common voltage regulating means connected in series with said device and the operating winding of said switch, said switch being adapted to respond only upon interruption of the parallc: circuit including said device 'and a second electroresponsive device arranged to be energized when said switch responds.

6. The combination with a supply circuit, of an electroresponsive device connected across said supply circuit, an electroresponsive switch having an operating winding connected in parallel with said electroresponsive device, a common resistance connected in series with said electroresponsive device and the operating winding of said switch to prevent said switch from responding until the parallel circuit including said responsive device is interrupted and a second electroresponsive device adapted to be energized when said switch responds.

7. The combination with a supply circuit of three parallel circuits connected across said supply circuit through a common resistance, an electroresponsive signal device connected in each of two of sald parallel circuits, an electroresponsive switch adaptacross said circuit, means normally rendering said switch unresponsive and for increasing the potential impresseld thereon to cause the same to respond when said electroresponsive device fails, and a second electroresponsive signal device arranged to be energlzed when said switch responds.

9. The combination with a supply circuit, of an electroresponsive signal device .connected across the supply circuit, an electroresponsive switch having an operating winding connected in parallel with said device, means for reduclng the potential impressed upon said winding to adegree to render said switch unresponsive while said device is energized and for increasing the potential impressed upon said winding to cause said switch to respond when said device fails and a second electroresponsive signal device arranged to be energized when said switch responds.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT J. HORTON. Witnesses:

WILLIAM L. CULLY, EDWIN N. LIGHTFOOT. 

